Non-drip faucet valve

ABSTRACT

A non-drip faucet valve comprising a hollow valve housing provided with an interior fluid-pressure-expandable valve means connected between a valve seat means and a valve-actuating member and arranged to be in interior communication with pressurized water (or other liquid or fluid) whereby to automatically expand said fluid-pressure-expandable valve means in a space defined between said valve-actuating member and said valve seat means and to sealingly engage a sealing portion of said valve seat means in a manner preventing the outflow of water (or other liquid or fluid) past the sealingly engaged fluid expanded valve means and the sealing portion of said valve seat means whenever the valveactuating member is within a predetermined distance of said valve seat means. The fluid-pressure-expandable valve means is arranged to effectively move into a non-expanded contracted relationship whenever said valve-actuating member is moved to a position more than a predetermined distance from said valve seat means whereby to disengage said valve means from the sealing portion of said valve seat means and to effectively temporarily override the self-expansion operation of said fluid-pressure-expandable valve means for as long as said valve-actuating member is beyond said predetermined distance from said valve seat means whereby to permit the outflow of water (or other liquid or fluid) past the disengaged valve means and valve seat means.

[45] Oct.l6, 1973 NON-DRIP FAUCET VALVE Jesus De La Garza, c/o P. O. Box18948, Cimerron Station, Los Angeles, Calif. 90018 Filed: July 17, 1972Appl. No.: 272,689

Inventor:

US. Cl. 251/38, 251/44 Int. Cl. Fl6k 31/44 Field of Search 251/38, 43,44

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 7/1936 Stout 251/44 8/1940Langdon 251/43 X 11/1951 Langdon 251/38 X Primary Examiner-Harold WWeakley ranged to be in interior communication with pressurized water(or other liquid or fluid) whereby to automatically expand saidfluid-pressure-expandable valve means in a space defined between saidvalve-actuating member and said valve seat means and to sealingly engagea sealing portion of said valve seat means in a manner preventing theoutflow of water (or other liquid or fluid) past the sealingly engagedfluid expanded valve means and the sealing portion of said valve seatmeans whenever the valve-actuating member is within a predetermineddistance of said valve seat means. The fluid-pressure-expandable valvemeans is arranged to effectively move into a non-expanded contractedrelationship whenever said valve-actuating member is moved to a positionmore than a predetermined distance from said valve seat means whereby todisengage said valve means from the sealing portion of said valve seatmeans and to effectively temporarily override the self-expansionoperation of said fluid-pressure-expandable valve means for as long assaid valve-actuating member is beyond said predetermined distance fromsaid valve seat means whereby to permit the outflow of water (or otherliquid or fluid) past the disengaged valve means and valve seat means.

12 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures w z I M, w

iii.

PAIENTEDom 16 em 20 is ja SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Generally speaking,the non-drip faucet valve of the present invention may be said tocomprise a hollow valve housing means having inlet means and outletmeans connected thereto and having an interior chamber provided with andcontrollably, longitudinally movably receiving a controllablylongitudinally movable valve-actuating member which is provided with anactuating handle means at a remote portion thereof exterior of the valvehousing means. The apparatus also includes effectively apertured valveseat means positioned in spaced opposition to said valve-actuatingmember and defining therebetween a valve recess, with said valve seatmeans including an inflow portion in effective communication with saidinlet means and an outflow portion in effective communication with saidoutlet means and intervening (usually annular) sealing means or sealingportion of said valve seat means positioned effectively between saidinflow and outflow portions. The apparatus also includesfluid-pressureexpandable valve means having a first portion abuttablewith said valve-actuating member and having a second separate portiondefining with said first portion a hollow interior expansion chamberwithin said valve means which is provided with communication means incommunication with said inflow portion of said effectively aperturedvalve seat means, said second valve means portion being positionableadjacent to-said valve seat means and being forcibly sealingly abuttablewith said sealing means of said valve seat means as a result of interiorfluid pressure within said expansion chamber when said valve-actuatingmember is within a predetermined distance from valve seat means. In apreferred form of the invention, the above-mentioned bypass meanscomprises egress bleed-hole aperture means effectively including apassage-defining rod passing through said second valve means portionfrom said expansion chamber to said outflow portion .of said aperturedvalve seat means and defining a reduced-size bleed passage extendingbetween the interior of said expansion chamber and said outflow portionof said apertured valve seat means and adapted to be effectively closedby said closure means whenever said second valve means portion is insealing engagement with said sealing means portion of said aperturedvalve seat means and to be effectively oped by said closure meanswhenever said second valve-actuating member is moved beyond saidpredetermined distance from said valve seat means and whenever saidsecond valve means portion is in open relationship with respect to saidsealing means portion of said apertured valve seat means. Also in saidpreferred form, said passagedefining rod is carried by saidvalve-actuating member and extends longitudinally through saidfluid-pressureexpandable valve means toward said outflow portion of saidapertured valve seat means.

In one preferred form, the hereinbefore-mentioned communication meanscomprises aperture means effectively extending between the inflow meansand the interior of said expansion chamber means in a manner effectivelycommunicating same at all times. In one preferred version of saidcommunication means, said aperture means thereof extends through saidsecond valve means portion between the inflow portion of said aperturedvalve seat means into the interior of said expansion chamber means andcomprises a total effective inflow aperture area substantially greaterthan the total effective outflow aperture area provided by said bypassmeans.

The above generally described construction of the novel non-drip faucetvalve compensates for the customary valve leakage which occurs inconventional hot-water faucet valves (or valves for other hot liquids orfluids) because of contraction of various parts of the valve andactuating means as a result of cooling subsequent to the initial closingof the valve. Such leakage will not occur in the novel valve of thepresent invention because the fluid pressure within the expandable valvemeans will maintain an effective sealing engagement of the expandablevalve means with respect to the sealing portion of the valve seat meanseven after such cooling of the water (or other liquid or fluid) or evenafter such cooling of the valve seat means, the valve means, and/or thevalve-actuating member has occurred in the device of the presentinvention when used as a hot-water faucet valve (or valve for other hotliquids or fluids.) However, whenever the valve-actuating member ismoved beyond a predetermined distance from the valve seat means, thenovel by-pass means effectively reduces the pressure of the water orfluid within the interior chamber of the expandable valve means bycommunicating same with an outlet pipe, nozzle, or spout so that thegreater inlet pressure of the water (or other liquid or fluid) actingagainst the outside of the expandable valve means will effectivelycollapse said expandable valve means to an extent just sufficient tomove the portion thereof which has previously engaged the sealingportion of the valve seat means away from said valve seat means in amanner such as to allow controlled egress of water (or other'liquid orfluid) past the collapsed valve and the spaced valve seat means into theoutlet pipe, nozzle, or spout. Thus, the valve operates in aconventional manner during opening and closing movement thereof, but,when closed, the fluid-pressure-expandable characteristic of the valvemeans takes over and maintains a positive sealing closure of the valveirrespective of any contraction of various parts thereof as a result oftemperature changes.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention toprovide a novel non-drip faucet valve of the type referred to abovewhich will effectively maintain a non-leaking closed relationship of thevalve means with respect to the valve seat means irrespective oftemperature and/or pressure changes.

It is a further object to provide a novel non-drip valve structure ofthe character referred to above which includes afluid-pressure-expandable valve means arranged whenever thevalve-actuating member is in one position, to be fully expanded byinterior water, liquid, or fluid pressure whereby to seal off thesealing portion of a valve seat means and arranged, whenever thevalve-actuating member is in another position, to effectively collapsewhereby to disengage itself from the valve seat means to allow the freepassage of water or other liquid or fluid.

It is a further object to provide a novel, non-drip valve means of thetype referred to above which can be used wherever such a non-leakingvalve would be advantageous and which is not specifically limited to afaucet valve, although this is one exemplary and highly advantageousapplication of the improved non-drip valve means of the presentinvention.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novelself-compensating, non-drip valve structure of the character referred toherein, generically and/or specifically, and which may include any orall of the features referred to herein, either individually or incombination, and which is of extremely simple, inexpensive,easy-to-manufacture construction such as to be suitable for readylarge-scale manufacture and distribution at relatively low-cost, both asto the initial cost (including tooling and production set-up costs,etc.) and as to be the subsequent perunit manufacturing costs whereby tobe conducive to said widespread production, distribution, sale, and useof the invention for the purposes outlined herein or for anysubstantially equivalent or similar purposes.

Further objects are implicit in the detailed description which followshereinafter (which is to be considered as exemplary of, but notspecifically limiting, the present invention,) and said objects will beapparent to persons skilled in the art after a careful study of thedetailed description which follows:

For the purpose of clarifying the nature of the present invention,several exemplary embodiments of the invention are illustrated in thehereinbelow-described figures of the accompanying single drawing sheetand similar to FIG. 2, but illustrates the apparatus after thevalve-actuating member has been moved very slightly upwardly to startthe sequence of events comprising a valve-opening operation, which isshown only partially completed in this view since the lower portion ofthe fluid-pressure-expandable valve means is still shown in sealingengagement with the valve seat means similar to the showing of FIG. 2.However, in this view the bypass means is partially open and the highwater pressure within the interior chamber within thefluid-pressure-expandable valve means is shown in the process of beingreduced by being communicated to the outlet means, which will veryshortly thereafter create sufficient upwardly directed differentialpressure acting across the lower part of said valve means to cause it tomove upwardly away from the valve seat means in a manner effectivelyopening the entire valve structure and directly communicating the inflowand outflow portions thereof in the manner shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 3, but illustrates theimmediately succeeding step referred to above in the description of FIG.3 wherein the upward acting differential pressure has collapsed thefluid-pressure-expandable valve means and has directly communicated theinflow and outflow portions of the apparatus, followed by furthervalve-opening movement of the valve-actuating member.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, vertical-plane, sectional view generallysimilar to FIG. 2, but illustrates a slight modification thereoffacilitating the assembly of the valve parts.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 4, but is of the slightly modified typeof valve structure shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view generally similar to a central portion ofFIG. 3, but illustrates a slight modification wherein the communicationmeans communicating the high pressure from the inlet or inflow meanswith the interior chamber inside of the fluid-pressureexpandable valvemeans is of a modified type and wherein the housing construction is ofthe modified type shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view similar to the central portion of FIG. 3wherein the by-pass means for reducing pressure within the interiorchamber of the fluid-pressure-expandable valve means during theintermediate phase of a valve-opening operation is slightly modifiedfrom the showing of FIG. 3 and wherein the housing construction is ofthe modified type shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

Referring to FIGS. 1-4 for exemplary purposes, one illustrativeembodiment of the invention is shown in said figures in a typicalillustrative form wherein it comprises a hollow valve housing means,such as is generally designated by the reference numeral 20 having inletmeans 22 and outlet means 24 connected thereto and having an interiorchamber, indicated generally at 26, positioned within the housing means20.

The hollow valve housing means 20 carries therein a longitudinallymovable valve actuating member 28 indicated generally at 28, which isshown as comprising a lower rod 30 connected to an extended longitudinalstem portion 32 which is adapted to be provided with an actuating handlemeans 34 at its remote end (in the example illustrated, the upper end)at a location exterior of the housing means 20. In the exampleillustrated, the longitudinal stem portion 32 is longitudinally slidablymounted within an exterior sleeve portion 36 which is adapted to befastened into the open upper end 38 of the housing means 20 by aresilient snap ring or retaining rig 40, although not specifically solimited. In the example illustrated, the sleeve 36 has an enlarged bore42 at its lower end in which an enlarged disc 44 carried at the junctionof the rod 30 and the stem portion 32 is positioned for movement betweeneither of the two extreme positions shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 or anyintermediate position. In other words, in the example illustrated, thestem 32, the enlarged disc 44, and the rod 30 are all longitudinallyslidably and frictionally mounted for movement between fully closedrelationship as shown in FIG. 2 and fully open relationship as shown inFIG. 4, as desired, by merely grasping the actuating handle 34 andapplying sufficient force thereto to longitudinally slidably move theactuating handle 34 to any desired position.

The valve housing means 20 is also provided with effectively aperturedvalve seat means positioned in spaced opposition to the valve actuatingmember 28 and, in particular, to the lower end of the rod 30 of thevalve-actuating member 28 and in a concentric relationship with respectthereto. In the example illustrated, said valve seat means is generallydesignated by the reference numeral 46 and comprises what might betermed a hollow upstanding pipe 48 having an open upper end comprisingsaid valve seat means 46 and having an outer exterior part 50 which maybe said to effectively comprise an inflow portion of said valve seatmeans in communication with the inlet means 22, and also having an innerpart 52 which may be said to comprise an outflow portion of the valveseat means 46 which is in effective communication with the outlet means24 by way of the hollow interior 54 of the outlet pipe means 48. The topopen end of the pipe 48 of the valve seat means 46 may be said tocomprise an annular sealing means or edge, indicated at 46, of the valveseat means 46 positioned between the inflow and outflow portions 50 and52 thereof.

The hollow interior 26 of the valve housing means 20 also carriesfluid-pressure-expandable valve means, indicated generally at 58, (asbest shown in FIG. I) having a first portion 60 abuttable with theeffective closed top of the hollow interior 26 of the valve housingmeans 20, which, in the example illustrated, comprises a washer-likemember 62 resting under the bottom flange 64 of the previously mentionedsleeve 36 comprising the effective top of the hollow housing means 20.The first, or top, portion 60 of the fluid-pressure-expandable valvemeans 58 comprises a downwardly open, elastomeric cup member, alsodesignated by the reference numeral 60, having an outer, downwardlydirected edge flange 66 and a central, downwardly directed edge flange68 defining a through-aperture 70 through which the rod 30 sealinglypasses for relative longitudinal sliding movement therethrough inresponse to actuation of a handle 34.

The fluid-pressure-expandable valve means 58 has a second and, in theexample illustrated, lower elastomeric cup member 71 which, in thiscase, is upwardly open, and which has an outer, upwardly directed edgeflange 72 and a central, upwardly directed, apertured flange 74 adaptedto receive the lower end of the rod 30 therein in either a fully closedposition as shown in FIG. 2 or a partially open position as shown inFIGS. 3 and 4 for effectively providing what might be termed closuremeans for the by-pass means indicated generally at 76 and which will bedescribed in greater detail hereinafter.

The opposed hollow cup members 60 and 71 together comprise theabove-mentioned fluid-pressureexpandable valve means 58 and are adaptedto assume either an effectively expanded relationship, as shown in FIG.2 (where said by-pass means 76 is fully closed,) and an effectivelycollapsed position, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 (in varying degrees ofproximity, however,) where said by-pass means is open.

It should be noted that the interior wall 78 of the housing means 20effectively comprises what might be termed mounting means for mountingthe expandable valve means 58 for longitudinal slidable movement of thebottom portion 71 thereof with the corresponding movement of thevalve-actuating member 28 so as to provide for opening and closing ofthe entire valve means to any desired extent.

In the example illustrated, the previously-mentioned by-pass means 76comprises a vlay-pass passage adapted to effectively communicate thehollow interior expansion chamber 80 between the two portions 60 and 71of the expandable valve means 58 with the outflow portion 52 of thevalve seat means 46 whenever the closure means 74 is in the openrelationship shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, which will have the effect ofreducing the interior fluid pressure within the expansion chamber 80 sothat the lower member 71 will move from its previous positively seatedrelationship shown in FIG. 2 into an unseated relationship such as isabout to be produced by the unbalanced net upward-acting differentialforce exerted acress the bottom valve member 71 when the apparatus is inthe condition shown in FIG. 3. This will cause the lower valve member 71to move upwardly away from the valve seat means 46 as a consequence ofany further upward movement of the actuating handle 34 so that theinflow and outflow portions 50 and 52 will, in effect, no longer besealed from each other by the lower valve member 71, thus directlycommunicating the inlet and outlet means 22 and 24 so as to allow flowtherethrough in the manner indicated by the arrow 82 of FIG. 4. Itshould be clearly noted that the arrows 84 of FIG. 3 do not indicatethat the valve is open and that substantial flow of liquid therethroughcan occurbSaid arrows merely indicate that high inlet pressure water canflow through the communication means 86 into the interior expansionchamber so as to pressurize same and that the by-pass means 76 allowspressure to be dumped from the expansion chamber 80 at precisely thesame rate as it is built up through the communication means 86, thusmaintaining a balanced condition so that further upward movement of theactuating handle 34 will cause the bottom valve portion 71 to move alongwith the rod member 30 upwardly toward a fully open position such as isshown in FIG. 4 or to any intermediate, partially open position betweenthe positions shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

It should be noted that when the actuating handle 34 is moved downwardlyto its lower extreme closed position as shown in FIG. 2, the closuremeans 74 completely closes off the by-pass means 76, thus preventing anyoutflow of pressure into the hollow interior 54 of the outflow tube 48,while the high inlet pressure feeding through the communication means 86into the interior expansion chamber 80 remains in effect, thus producingan increase in interior chamber presure and a net downward actingdifferential pressure across the lower valve member 71 so as topositively force it into firm sealing engagement with the annularsealing portion 56 of the valve seat means 46 irrespective of anycontraction of the parts of the valve which may have occurred after itwas initially closed.

In other words, even if the valve is hand-closed and is initially sealedwhile hot (such as in the case of a hot water faucet valve) andsubsequently contracts as a result of cooling of the parts so that thevalve would normally tend to become slightly unseated and to drop orleak, this will not occur in the novel valve of the present inventionbecause of the differential pressure acting downwardly across the bottomvalve part 71, which will compensate for any such contraction whichmight occur. When the valve means 58 is in this condition, it isreferred to as in the expanded condition. Conversely, when the valvemeans 58 allows the by-pass means 76 to be open, the fluid pressureexpandable valve means 58 is then considered to be in the contracted orretracted relationship such as is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, while theexpanded relationship is shown in FIG. 2.

The by-pass means, indicated generally at 76, comprises bleed holeaperture means or bleed passage means effectively passing through thesecond or lower valve means portion or cup 71 from the interiorexpansion chamber 80 within the fluid-pressure-expandable valve means 58to a low pressure region which, in the example illustrated, comprisesthe outflow portion 52 of the valve seat means 46, or the hollowinterior 54 of the outelt pipe 48.

It should be clearly understood that in the first exemplary form of theinvention illustrated, the by-pass means 76 comprises the transverselydirected, doubleended bleed-hole aperture 88 carried by the rod 30 at aposition near its lower end and communicating with a longitudinallydirected central bore hole or bleed passage 90 which extends downwardlythrough the bottom end of the rod 30. It should also be noted that thepreviously described central, upwardly directed elastomeric flange,comprising the previously-referred to closure means 74, is so positionedand is of a vertical extent or height such that when the lower valvemeans portion or cup member 71 is firmly seated on the annular sealingmeans or end 56 of the valve seat means 46 in the manner clearly shownin FIG. 2, said closure means 74 fully covers, seals, and closes off thetransverse bleed-hole aperture 88 of the by-pass means 76 so it can besaid that the complete by-pass means 76 is fully closed when the entirevalve structure is in the fully closed position shown in FIG. 2.

However, it should be noted that the location of the transverselydirected bleed-hole aperture means 88 and the upper end of the flexibleelastomeric closure means 74 are such that when the actuating handle 34is moved slightly upwardly from the fully sealed position shown in FIG.2 into the next pre-valve-opening position shown in FIG. 3, saidtransversely directed bleed-hole aperture means 88 becomes partiallydisengaged from the upper end of the closure means 74, thus, in effect,partially opening the by-pass means 76 so that water or other fluidwithin the chamber 80, which is virtually at the inlet pressure of waterentering by way of the inlet 22, is now allowed to escape through thepartially open by-pass means 76 into the low pressure outflow portion 52of the valve seat means 46 and into the hollow interior 54 of theoutflow or outlet pipe means 48 in the manner clearly shown in FIG. 3.This causes a reduction in pressure acting downwardly on the upper sideof the lower valve means portion or cup 71, while the pressure actingupwardly thereagainst remains the same. The two pressures come to abalanced condition by reason of th extent of the opening of the by-passmeans 76 in relation to the fixed effective total crosssectionalaperture area of the communication means 86 through which high pressureinlet water is constantly being communicated from the inlet means 22 tothe interior chamber 80. In other words, in the preferred first form ofthe invention illustrated, the by-pass means 76 has an effectivecross-sectional aperture, when fully open, which is substantiallygreater than the total effective cross-sectional aperture area of thecommunication means 86. Thus, it will be seen that if the by-pass means76 were allowed to open fully, it would dump pressure from the interiorof the chamber 80 faster than it is built up through the communicationmeans 86. This would immediately cause the lower valve means-portion orcup member 71 to be moved upwardly as a result of the net upward-actingdifferential pressure, which would, in turn, partially close off theby-pass means 76 until the loss of pressure therethrough exactly matchesthe increase of pressure produced by way of the input communicationmeans 86. This is what is meant by the balanced condition referred tohereinbefore and when this condition is achieved, any further upwardmovement of the actuating member 34 will cause the lower valve meansportion or cup member 71 to move upwardly with the actuating handle 34so as to maintain the same relative position with respect to the by-pass76 and to thereby maintain the same extent of partial opening or closingthereof which produces the above-mentioned balanced condition.

Thus, as the actuating handle 34 is moved upwardly from the positionwhown in FIG. 3, the lower valve means portion or cup member 71 willalso move upwardly, fully disengaging it from the sealing end 56 of thevalveseat means 46, so as to provide a positive and direct communicationbetween the inlet means 22 and the outlet means 24, as is shown infragmentary form in FIG. 4.

Conversely, when the actuating handle 34 is returned to the closedposition shown in FIG. 2, the closure means 74 is moved over thetransverse bleed hole aperture means 88 and fully closes the by-passmeans 76, and the above-mentioned balanced condition no longer esistssince now only inlet pressure is applied to the interior chamber 80 byway of the communication means 86, and there is no loss of pressurethrough the by-pass means 76, since it is closed. This is the conditionshown in FIG. 2 and results in a positive maintenance of sealedengagement of the lower valve means portion or cup member 71 against theannular sealing end or portion 56 of the valve seat means 46irrespective of any contraction or expansion which may subsequentlyoccur (usually as a result of temperature changes.)

In the example illustrated, the communication means 86 merely comprisestwo small through-holes through the bottom wall of the bottom valvemeans portion or cup member 71 having a total effective cross-sectionalarea substantially less than that of the by-pass means (usually of theorder of approximately one-half that of the by-pass means, although notspecifically so limited.) However, it should be noted that the number ofcommunication means holes 86, their locations and/or their sizes are notto be construed as being limited to the specific arrangementillustrated, buy may assume any of a variety of substantiallyfunctionally equivalent forms, sizes, and/or locations.

FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate a slight modification of the valve structureshown in FIGS. 1-4, but in this case being slightly differentlyconstructed and, therefore, providing for simpler assembly of the partsthereof. Because it does illustrate a modification, even though onlyvery slightly different, parts which are either identical or similar tothose of the first form of the invention are designated by the samereference numerals, followed by the letter a, however. In thismodification, it will be noted that the major change is in the means forattaching the top closure member or sleeve member 36a to the cylindricalhousing 20a. In the FIGS. 5 and 6 variation, the sleeve member 36a isprovided with what might be termed an interiorly threaded cap or bonnetmember 92 which is adapted to be threadedly engaged on exterior threads94 carried around the periphery of the top wall of the cylindricalhousing means 20a. This makes it possible to assemble all moving partsof the valve relative to the bonnet member 92 while it is completelydisengaged from the cylindrical housing side wa1l20a and to then insertall of the interior parts of the valve means within the cylindricalhousing side wall 20a and, at the same time, to threadedly engage thebonnet 92 on the exterior threads 94 and to tighten same into place in aposition such as is clearly shown in FIGS. and 6. The outer flange 66aof the upper expandable valve means portion or cup member 60 provideseffective sealing for the threaded junction of the bonnet 92 and theexterior threads 94 so that no additional sealing is required.Otherwise, the modification shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 is essentially thesame as the first form of the invention and, therefore, no furtherdetailed description thereof is thought necessary or desirable.

FIG. 7 is a slight modification of the form shown in FIGS. 5 and 6although it is also illustrative of a corresponding slight modification.of the first form of the invention shown in FIGS. 1-4. Therefore, partswhich are either similar or identical to corresponding previouslydescribed parts of the invention are designated by similar referencenumerals, followed by the letter b, however. In the FIG. 7 modification,the major change lies in the communication means 86b which, in thiscase, for illustrative purposes, are shown as being provided at theouter periphery of the engagement region or interface between the outerflange 72b of the lower valve means portion or cup member 71b and theinside surface 78b of the cylindrical side wall of the housing means 20bso that the inflow of high inlet pressure into the interior chamber 80boccurs in said interface region or zone rather than by way of inwardlypositioned holes of the type shown at 86 in FIGS. 1-4 and 86a in FIGS. 5and 6. It should also be noted that the communication grooves 86b may bepositioned along the interior surface of the metal side wall of thehousing means 20b or along the outside surface of the cup member flange72b and either arrangement or any combination thereof is intended to befully disclosed by the showing of FIG. 7 supplemented by thisdescription thereof. Otherwise, the FIG. 7 modification is very similarto the FIGS. 5 and 6 slight variation of the first form of the inventionand, therefore, no further and more detailed description thereof isthough necessary or desirable.

FIG. 8 is a further slight modification of the FIGS. 5 and 6 variationof the first form of the invention, but is also intended to berepresentative of a similar modification of the first form shown inFIGS. 1-4 inclusive. Therefore, parts which are identical or similar topreviously described parts are designated by similar reference numerals,followed by the letter c, however. It should be noted that the onlychange in this very slight modification is the slightly changedstructure of the bypass means 760 which does not have a completelateral, transversely directed bleed hole aperture similar to that shownat 88 in the first form of the invention or at 88a in the very slightvariation thereof shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. Otherwise, this modificationis similar to the first and second forms of the invention and,therefore, no further and more detailed description thereof is thoughtnecessary or desirable, 1

It should be noted that various elements of the various illustrative andrepresentative forms of the invention may be freely interchanged withinthe broad scope of the disclosure of the present invention and that theactuating handle and the entire structure for operating the actuatingmember may be modified widely within the broad scope of the presentinvention. For example, instead of being of a frictional, longitudinallyslidable type, the actuating mechanism may include a threaded structureso that the actuating handle 34 is rotated for relatively advancing theactuating member with respect to the valve housing means or forrelatively retracting same as a function of the direction of relativerotation of the actuating handle. This type of structure can readily besubstituted for the particular actuating structure shown and is intendedto be included and comprehended within the broad scope of the presentinvention as well as are various other substantial functionalequivalents. Also, variations in the arrangement and structure of theinlet and outlet means and of the intervening valve seat means arecontemplated within the broad scopy of the present invention.

It should be understood that the figures and the specific descriptionthereof set forth in this application are for the purpose ofillustrating the present invention and are not to be construed aslimiting the present invention to the precise and detailed specificstructure shown in the figures and specifically described hereinbefore.Rather, the real invention is intended to include substantiallyequivalent constructions embodying the basic teachings and inventiveconcept of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A non-drip faucet valve, comprising: a hollow valve housing meanshaving inlet means and outlet means connected thereto and having ahollow interior provided with and controllably longitudinally movablyreceiving a controllably longitudinally movable valveactuating member,said valve-actuating member having an extended longitudinal stem portionadapted to be provided with an actuating handle means at a remote endthereof exterior of said housing means; effectively apertured valve seatmeans positioned in opposition to said valve-actuating member anddefining a valve recess, said valve seat means including an inflowportion in effective communication with said inlet means, an outflowportion in effective communication with said outlet means, andintervening sealing means positioned between said inflow and outflowportions;fluid-pressure-expandable valve means positioned within saidhollow interior of said valve housing means and having a first portionlongitudinally, slidably, movably, substantially centrally engaged witha first part of said valve-actuating member in a liquid-sealed mamner ata location longitudinally spaced from said first valve means portion anddefining with said first valve means portion a hollow interior expansionchamber within said valve means provided with communication means incommunication with said inlet means; controllably openable and closableby-pass means effectively carried by said valve-actuating member foreffectively bypassing said second valve means portion when open in amanner effectively communicating said hollow interior expansion chamberand said outlet means and, when closed, for effectively completelyoverriding and sealing said by-pass means whereby to effectively isolateand seal said hollow interior expansion chamber from said outlet means,said by-pass means being provided with closure means operable foreffectively closing said by-pass means when said valve-actuating memberis moved toward said second valve means portion to or beyond apredetermined relative position with respect thereto and for effectivelypartially opening said by-pass means when said valve-actuating member ismoved away from said second valve means portion to or beyond a relativeposition with respect thereto.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said bypass means comprisesbleed passage means positioned for interior communication with saidexpansion chamber within said valve means when said valve-actuatingmember is moved away from said valve seat means beyond a predetermineddistance, thus allowing the pressurized fluid within the expansionchamber to escape to the outflow portion of said valve seat means andthus allowing inlet fluid pressure from said inlet portion of said valveseat means acting against the outside of said second valve means portionto force it toward said first valve means portion in a manner unseatingsaid second valve means portion from said sealing means of said valveseat means and causing said second valve means portion to assume andsubsequently maintain a predetermined longitudinal spacing from saidfirst valve means portion during subsequent movements of saidvalve-actuating member while said second valve means portion is in openrelationship with respect to said sealing means of said apertured valveseat means.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bypass means has aneffective through-aperture area substantially greater than the effectivethrough-aperture area of said communication means whereby the initialopening of said by-pass means by said closure means causes the effectiveinitial outflow of fluid pressure from within said expansion chamberthrough said bypass means at a greater rate than the inflow of fluidpressure through said communication means, thus initially causing fluidpressure within said expansion chamber to fall and thus initiallyallowing inlet fluid pressure from said inlet means to force said secondvalve means portion toward said first valve means portion in a mannerinitially unseating said second valve means portion from said sealingmeans of said apertured valve seat means.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said bypass means has aneffective through-aperture area substantially greater than the effectivethrough-aperture area of said communication means whereby the initialopening of said by-pass means by said closure means causes the effectiveinitial outflow of fluid pressure from within said expansion chamberthrough said bypass means at a greater rate than the inflow of fluidpressure through said communication means, thus initially causing fluidpressure within said expansion chamber to fall and thus initiallyallowing inlet fluid pressure from said inlet means to force said secondvalve means portion toward said first valve means portion in a mannerinitially unseating said second valve means portion from said sealingmeans of said apertured valve seat means.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said communication meanscomprises enlarged aperture means effectively extending between theinlet means and the interior of said expansion chamber means in a mannereffectively communicating same at all times.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said communication meanscomprises enlarged aperture means effectively extending through saidsecond valve means portion between the inflow portion of said aperturedvalve seat means and the interior of said expansion chamber means in amanner effectively communicating same at all times.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said bypass means comprisesegress bleed hole aperture means effectively extending between theinterior of said expansion chamber and said outlet means and effectivelyclosed by said closure means whenever said second valve means portion isin sealing engagement with said sealing means of said apertured valveseat means and effectively opened by said closure means whenever saidsecond valve means portion is in open relationship with respect to saidsealing means of said apertured valve seat means.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said bypass means comprisesegress bleed hole aperture means effectively including apassage-defining rod passing through said second valve means portionfrom said expansion chamber to said outflow portion of said aperturedvalve seat means and defining a reduced-size bleed passage extendingbetween the interior of said expansion chamber and said outflow portionof said apertured valve seat means and effectively closed by saidclosure means whenever said second valve means portion is in sealingengagement with said sealing means of said apertured valve seat meansand effectively opened by said closure means whenever said second valvemeans portion is in open relationship with respect to said sealing meansof said apertured valve seat means.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein said passage-defining rodcomprises a forward portion of said valve-actuating member extendinglongitudinally forwardly from and comprising an effective projection ofthe extended longitudinal stem portion adapted to be provided with anexterior actuating handle means and is longitudinally movable therewith.

10. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said first and second valvemeans portions are of circular, oppositely directed, cup-shaped similarconfigurations and comprise two elastomeric, oppositely directed cupmembers having two oppositely directed substantially circular edgeflanges relative telescopically mounted within said hollow valve housingmeans with respect to each other whereby to define said interiorexpansion chamber therebetween.

11. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the inner surface of saidsecond valve means portion has a greater surface area exposed tointerior fluid pressure within said expansion chamber when said valvemeans is in closed relationship to said valve seat means than the areaon the opposite side thereof exposed to inle fluid pressure from saidinlet means.

12. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said closure means isoperable when said valve-actuating member forces said second valve meansportion into sealing engagement with said sealing means of saidapertured valve seat means to forcibly move said second valve meansportion a short distance toward said first valve means portion in amanner closing said by-pass means and thus preventing the escape offluid pressure therethrough from within the expansion chamber whereby tocause inlet fluid pressure from said inlet means and passing throughsaid communication means into the interior of said expansion chamber toincrease the fluid pressure within said expansion chamber, whereby tofirmly and positively increase the extent of the forcible engagement ofsaid second valve means portion against said sealing means of saidapertured valve seat means.

1. A non-drip faucet valve, comprising: a hollow valve housing meanshaving inlet means and outlet means connected thereto and having ahollow interior provided with and controllably longitudinally movablyreceiving a controllably longitudinally movable valve-actuating member,said valve-actuating member having an extended longitudinal stem portionadapted to be provided with an actuating handle means at a remote endthereof exterior of said housing means; effectively apertured valve seatmeans positioned in opposition to said valve-actuating member anddefining a valve recess, said valve seat means including an inflowportion in effective communication with said inlet means, an outflowportion in effective communication with said outlet means, andintervening sealing means positioned between said inflow and outflowportions;fluid-pressure-expandable valve means positioned within saidhollow interior of said valve housing means and having a first portionlongitudinally, slidably, movably, substantially centrally engaged witha first part of said valve-actuating member in a liquid-sealed manner ata location longitudinally spaced from said first valve means portion anddefining with said first valve means portion a hollow interior expansionchamber within said valve means provided with communication means incommunication with said inlet means; controllably openable and closableby-pass means effectively carried by said valve-actuating member foreffectively by-passing said second valve means portion when open in amanner effectively communicating said hollow interior expansion chamberand said outlet means and, when closed, for effectively completelyoverriding and sealing said by-pass means whereby to effectively isolateand seal said hollow interior expansion chamber from said outlet means,said by-pass means being provided with closure means operable foreffectively closing said by-pass means when said valve-actuating memberis moved toward said second valve means portion to or beyond apredetermined relative position with respect thereto and for effectivelypartially opening said bypass means when said valve-actuating member ismoved away from said second valve means portion to or beyond a relativeposition with respect thereto.
 2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1,wherein said by-pass means comprises bleed passage means positioned forinterior communication with said expansion chamber within said valvemeans when said valve-actuating member is moved away from said valveseat means beyond a predetermined distance, thus allowing thepressurized fluid within the expansion chamber to escape to the outflowportion of said valve seat means and thus allowing inlet fluid pressurefrom said inlet portion of said valve seat means acting against theoutside of said second valve means portion to force it toward said firstvalve means portion in a manner unseating said second valve meansportion from said sealing means of said valve seat means and causingsaid second valve means portion to assume and subsequently maintain apredetermined longitudinal spacing from said first valve means portionduring subsequent movements of said valve-actuating member while saidsecond valve means portion is in open relationship with respect to saidsealing means of said apertured valve seat means.
 3. Apparatus asclaimed in claim 1, wherein said by-pass means has an effectivethrough-aperture area substantially greater than the effectivethrough-aperture area of said communication means whereby the initialopening of said by-pass means by said closure means causes the effectiveinitial outflow of fluid pressure from within said expansion chamberthrough said by-pass means at a greater rate than the inflow of fluidpressure through said communication means, thus initially causing fluidpressure within said expansion chamber to fall and thus initiallyallowing inlet fluid pressure from said inlet means to force said secondvalve means portion toward said first valve means portion in a mannerinitially unseating said second valve means portion from said sealingmeans of said apertured valve seat means.
 4. Apparatus as defined inclaim 2, wherein said by-pass means has an effective through-aperturearea substantially greater than the effective through-aperture area ofsaid communication means whereby the initial opening of said by-passmeans by said closure means causes the effective initial outflow offluid pressure from within said expansion chamber through said by-passmeans at a greater rate than the inflow of fluid pressure through saidcommunication means, thus initially causing fluid pressure within saidexpansion chamber to fall and thus initially allowing inlet fluidpressure from said inlet means to force said second valve means portiontoward said first valve means portion in a manner initially unseatingsaid second valve means portion from said sealing means of saidapertured valve seat means.
 5. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, whereinsaid communication means comprises enlarged aperture means effectivelyextending between the inlet means and the interior of said expansionchamber means in a manner effectively communicating same at all times.6. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said communication meanscomprises enlarged aperture means effectively extending through saidsecond valve means portion between the inflow portion of said aperturedvalve seat means and the interior of said expansion chamber means in amanner effectively communicating same at all times.
 7. Apparatus Asdefined in claim 1, wherein said by-pass means comprises egress bleedhole aperture means effectively extending between the interior of saidexpansion chamber and said outlet means and effectively closed by saidclosure means whenever said second valve means portion is in sealingengagement with said sealing means of said apertured valve seat meansand effectively opened by said closure means whenever said second valvemeans portion is in open relationship with respect to said sealing meansof said apertured valve seat means.
 8. Apparatus as defined in claim 1,wherein said by-pass means comprises egress bleed hole aperture meanseffectively including a passage-defining rod passing through said secondvalve means portion from said expansion chamber to said outflow portionof said apertured valve seat means and defining a reduced-size bleedpassage extending between the interior of said expansion chamber andsaid outflow portion of said apertured valve seat means and effectivelyclosed by said closure means whenever said second valve means portion isin sealing engagement with said sealing means of said apertured valveseat means and effectively opened by said closure means whenever saidsecond valve means portion is in open relationship with respect to saidsealing means of said apertured valve seat means.
 9. Apparatus asdefined in claim 8, wherein said passage-defining rod comprises aforward portion of said valve-actuating member extending longitudinallyforwardly from and comprising an effective projection of the extendedlongitudinal stem portion adapted to be provided with an exterioractuating handle means and is longitudinally movable therewith. 10.Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said first and second valvemeans portions are of circular, oppositely directed, cup-shaped similarconfigurations and comprise two elastomeric, oppositely directed cupmembers having two oppositely directed substantially circular edgeflanges relatively telescopically mounted within said hollow valvehousing means with respect to each other whereby to define said interiorexpansion chamber therebetween.
 11. Apparatus as defined in claim 1,wherein the inner surface of said second valve means portion has agreater surface area exposed to interior fluid pressure within saidexpansion chamber when said valve means is in closed relationship tosaid valve seat means than the area on the opposite side thereof exposedto inlet fluid pressure from said inlet means.
 12. Apparatus as definedin claim 1, wherein said closure means is operable when saidvalve-actuating member forces said second valve means portion intosealing engagement with said sealing means of said apertured valve seatmeans to forcibly move said second valve means portion a short distancetoward said first valve means portion in a manner closing said by-passmeans and thus preventing the escape of fluid pressure therethrough fromwithin the expansion chamber whereby to cause inlet fluid pressure fromsaid inlet means and passing through said communication means into theinterior of said expansion chamber to increase the fluid pressure withinsaid expansion chamber, whereby to firmly and positively increase theextent of the forcible engagement of said second valve means portionagainst said sealing means of said apertured valve seat means.